Sony’s Xperia Z5 Premium is the world’s first 4K smartphone

Sony has unveiled its new lineup of Xperia smartphones, and this year’s headline model is the Xperia Z5 Premium. Available in chrome, black, and gold, the Z5 Premium looks undeniably luxurious, and the company claims its 5.5-inch 4K display is a first for a smartphone. However, with internal specs that are identical to the smaller, more reserved Xperia Z5 (and not far off the “pocket friendly” Z5 Compact), it’s not clear if the Premium has more to show beyond a rich, glossy finish. Like the Z5 and Z5 Compact, the Premium boasts a new fingerprint sensor built into a redesigned power button on the side of the device. (Sony says this location is marginally more convenient than a sensor at the bottom of the phone and I agree — marginally.) There’s a Snapdragon 810 64-bit processor and 3GB of RAM powering the device, and the same 23-megapixel camera that Sony’s putting into the Z5 and Z5 Compact. The company claims it has the fastest autofocus on the market — just 0.03 seconds — and is making big promises about solving familiar “pain points” for smartphone cameras, like taking pictures in low light. Judgement on that will have to wait for a full review.